A Perfect Cure for Loneliness
by ExodusAngel
Summary: Takes place during Manga 494. Kagome has gone home to be with her family. Much to Kagome's dismay her family is not home when she arrives and she feels lonely. What will Inuyasha do to cure her loneliness? What would've happened if Souta hadn't barged in?


**Author's Note: **I read Manga 494 and I absolutely was dissapointed with the ending! So I re-wrote it and made it my own. I hope it's ok, it is my first Inuyasha one-shot after all. I hope you enjoy!

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Inuyasha or any of its wonderful characters, Rumiko Takahashi does I believe.

**A Perfect Cure for Loneliness**

"I'm sorry everyone, but I think I'll be gone for about three days." A long dark haired school girl said to her three friends as she gave a wooden bow to the small kitsune sitting on the rim of the ancient well. "Take care of the bow for me Shippo."

Shippo took the powerful bow from her with care. It was a very important bow and the young red headed fox did not want to be the one to destroy it.

"You take it easy Kagome." The monk Miroku said to the young miko and Shippo sighed from beside her.

"Even though you are leaving, I wonder what Inuyasha's up to." The child absently noted as Kagome prepared herself for the jump.

"It's all right," Kagome's sweet voice rang "Inuyasha's talking with Kaede."

The other three bowed their heads in sadness for their young friends; they knew well what the white haired hanyou was doing with Kaede. _'He's probably talking to her about Kikyo's final moments…'_ Miroku thought while glancing a moment at his future wife who seemed to be wearing the same expression. They didn't want to come out right and say it. Kikyo had always been a sore subject for both Inuyasha and Kagome. The last thing they wanted was an upset Kagome.

"Well I'm off." The girl said quickly giving Shippo a hug and a wave to her other two traveling companions. With a quick movement Kagome jumped down the Bone Eater's Well and was engulfed by a mysterious blue light that lead into the future.

ooOOooOO00OOooOOoo

"I see… it must have been hard on you, too, Inuyasha." The old priestess Kaede said solemnly.

"There was nothing I could do." The hanyou replied; pain evident in his voice. "I'm sorry I wasn't able to save Kikyo…"

Inuyasha's guilt had been eating him up inside since that fateful day when Kikyo had finally been slain. In fact he hadn't even really talked much to his friends since the incident although he was getting better, especially after he found out that Kagome seemed to be suffering more than he was. He would try to be happy; for her.

"No…" She interrupted "My sister has finally been released from a long time of suffering. It's just that I wonder if all of Kikyo's duties have now been handed over to Kagome."

"Yeah… Hey do you think Kagome will be all right?" Inuyasha asked as worry seeped into his eyes. Kaede eyed him sadly. She desperately hoped Kagome would be all right. The child was strong, but if Kikyo had not been able to endure her own duties would Kagome? The question played on the old priestesses mind like a plague. Why did things have to be so difficult for all these young people?

"I hope so." She replied watching as Inuyasha stood up to go. Any normal person would have found it rude that the hanyou had stood up right in the middle of their conversation, but Kaede knew better. Inuyasha's thoughts were somewhere else and probably about a certain miko from the future. She hoped he didn't read too much into their conversation.

Inuyasha trudged along a path in the woods. He was deep in thought. Would Kagome be ok if she was put into Kikyo's situation? He absolutely knew that he would not be able to stand it if she fell to the same fate as Kikyo. _'I'm honestly scared.'_ He thought stopping to stare up at Goshinboku; the sacred tree he had been pinned against fifty years ago.

_'If Kagome was in Kikyo's place, and had to give up her life…' _Inuyasha couldn't even think about what would happen; he didn't want to imagine how much pain he would feel if he lost yet another woman he loved.

_'If it looks like that will happen, I would want her to go to her own world. She deserves some kind of peace, at least. Besides, she's got family and friends that care about her over there. She won't be alone.'_

ooOOooOO00OOooOOoo

Kagome stared in horror at a scribbled note sitting on the kitchen table.

"_**We won a trip to the hot springs in the town lottery so we're off."**_

"Fine, I see how it is." Kagome said sarcastically to herself. "Leave me here."

'_It's not as if they knew I'd be coming home, not even I know when I'm coming home.'_

Kagome sighed, setting the note back down where she had found it; so much for seeing her family. Suddenly a thought struck her. "That's right!" She exclaimed, "I have to get to school!"

With out further ado the young miko dashed through the house, only stopping to grab her book bag and school books, and ran out the door like a Tasmanian Devil. Running all the way to school she realized it was a good thing she was getting exercise in the feudal era. At least she would make it to school on time. Excited that she was going to catch up on all her school work she ran up to the school. This was it! _'Finally I can catch up!'_ she thought excitedly as she finally made it to the front of the school, but what she saw the moment she lifted her head up quickly destroyed that hope.

"It's Sunday?!"

'_Damn!'_ This was frustrating. With a disappointed sigh Kagome trudged her way back up to the family shrine and decided to see if some of her friends could hang out. She hadn't seen them in a really long time after all. Quickly dialing a number she had memorized two years prior by heart, Kagome held the phone up to her ear and waited until an older woman's voice answered. "Um, is Yuka there?" Kagome asked while twirling the phone cord between her long smooth fingers.

"I'm sorry Kagome," Yuka's mom replied "I'm afraid she went shopping with Eri and Ayumi, but why don't you try her cell? I'm sure she's dying to talk to you."

"Um, no that's ok, thanks anyway. Bye." Kagome said solemnly and hung up the phone.

'_Cell phone? I don't even have one. The feudal era is sort of out of range.'_

She sorrowfully began her journey upstairs and into the bath tub; the greatest place of comfort. She felt so out of touch as she slipped into the steaming hot water that relaxed her muscles. Her friends were getting cell phones, and getting good marks to make it into high school while she was off getting bruises and fighting off demons. Staring at the ceiling she couldn't help but wonder what it would have been like to have been a normal teenager. What she would have given to be able to own a cell phone, to hang out with her friends, to be getting good marks in school. _'Why can't I just be normal? I wish I was.'_ She thought as she held her legs to her chest.

_'That's not true.'_ Her mind argued _'If you were normal you would have never met Inuyasha.'_

"That's it!" She yelled. Kagome didn't want to think about this at all, but she couldn't stop her mind from coming back to it. She needed something to pass the time, something that she could do that would make time move faster.

"I'll sleep!" She exclaimed excitedly and hurried out of the bath and hopped into bed, quickly getting her pajamas on. "It's been so long since I've slept in a real bed!"

It didn't take long for her to fall asleep, but apparently it didn't take long to wake up either. After sleeping for a little while, Kagome awoke to find that it was still the afternoon.

Why couldn't she just pass her lonely hours in peace!?

The growl of her stomach startled Kagome and she realized she had something to do. Quickly getting dressed she raced down stairs and worked hard on a dish of food.

"This is great! I'm such a genius!" She said before taking another bite of her creation, but slowly her happiness began to dwindle. She wanted her mom's cooking. Kagome didn't want to think about her loneliness and decided she might as well do something productive to keep her mind off of it.

"Alright! I'll study." Determination suddenly entered the miko as she sat down at her desk and began to studiously poor over her studies. Although it didn't take long for her mind to drift to other things. _'I wonder what Inuyasha and the others are doing.'_ The young girl chewed on her pencil eraser while trying to picture her friends in the past. That just made the poor girl even more lonely, but a little shred of hope remained. She was pretty sure Inuyasha would come to bug her soon enough.

"I'm so lonely" She cried, "and I was finally able to come back home, too."

Without even realizing it Kagome had laid her head on to her arms and slowly drifted off to sleep. Finally she wouldn't have to think about anything.

ooOOooOO00OOooOOoo

Kagome jostled awake at the feeling of something heavy on her back. _'What is that?'_ She thought as she rubbed her sleepy eyes. Looking over her shoulder her chocolate brown eyes connected with the bright pink, flower printed comforter from her bed. _'My comforter, but…?'_ She turned her head in the direction of her bed and a flare of red and silver caught her eye.

_'Inuyasha?'_

"You're awake." He stated softly, his honey golden eyes connecting with hers. Relief swelled in Kagome's chest. He had come to see her! She wouldn't be alone anymore. Kagome couldn't stop the tears that welled up in her eyes as she took in the sight of Inuyasha sitting Indian style on her bed. She hadn't realized how lonely she truly had been.

Inuyasha immediately snapped from position as the scent of her tears drifted into the air. Kagome was…crying? Tears were visibly on display within her beautiful brown orbs. Inuyasha didn't understand. What had he done now?

Distraught by the sight of her sadness, Inuyasha made his way over to her desk. He had no idea what he had done this time. He was sure that he hadn't said anything mean to her or had done anything that would have possibly hurt her in anyway. _'Maybe she didn't want to see me…'_ He thought for a moment, his ears drooping with rejection.

"Wh, what? What did I do?" Inuyasha asked softly.

"You came."

Inuyasha was surprised by Kagome's answer. Was she sad that he was here? Was he really that much of a burden on her? He felt a deep pain rising up inside of his heart. Perhaps she wanted him gone, that was probably the only reason she ever did come home besides school; because of him. Suppressing all of his feelings so Kagome wouldn't catch on, he grabbed the bow and held it out for her.

"Yeah, here."

"The bow…" Kagome said looking intently at the nicely crafted piece of wood Kikyo had left for her.

Inuyasha's expression turned scolding as he looked down at the beautiful miko.

"Did you realize you left it back there? Kaede said that if you always carry it with you, it'll form a connection with your heart."

Kagome jumped a little at his words. She suddenly felt bad for leaving the bow with Shippo.

"I see this isn't just an ordinary weapon."

"That's right. Well bye." Inuyasha rushed jumping on to the window sill. He couldn't stand to be with her any longer. He knew she wanted him gone so he decided that he might as well get out fast and put her out of her misery. The long white haired hanyou prepared to jump when he felt a strong tug pulling on his hair and forcing him back into the room.

"Hey!" Kagome yelled.

Inuyasha faced her with confusion which steadily increased at the sight of her tears. Hadn't she wanted him to leave? Why the hell was she crying?

"What are you doing, wanting to go back all of the sudden?" She cried.

"That's not like you."

"Huh?" Inuyasha was puzzled, to say the least, at Kagome's intense reaction. He wanted to go back to the well, but the sight of her tears forced him back inside. He could stand Kagome's anger, but not her tears. Sitting down next to her on the floor, he took a quick sniff that picked up the scent of the entire house. _'Oh!'_ Inuyasha thought to himself as he took in the scent of an empty house. _'Her family is gone; their scent is faint. No wonder she's upset.'_

"No one's here?" He asked even though he already knew the answer.

Kagome held her knees against her chest while gazing down at the floor. "Yeah, even though I was finally able to come back."

"Keh, stupid, why don't you just hurry up and go back through the well?" Inuyasha didn't understand. If she was lonely then why didn't she come back to the feudal era and find him, she didn't have to be lonely.

"You might say that, but I've got school tomorrow and mama and the others will probably be back too."

The hanyou sighed. She must really have wanted to see her family to stay alone for an entire day. Guilt found its way into Inuyasha's feelings. It was his fault that she had to suffer through this. He was the reason she barely got to see her family. They cared about her too, and he was keeping her from them_. 'I'm so selfish…'_ he thought to himself. _'This world is Kagome's home. Why would I ever think for a moment that she would want to stay with a hanyou like me?'_

"Kagome…You really like this world, don't you?" Inuyasha's voice came out as a whisper. The sadness in his voice caught Kagome's attention and she turned to look at him. She didn't really know what to say, since she had no idea why Inuyasha was bringing such a subject up. "Well yeah, I was born and raised here and have my friends and family too. What's this all of the sudden, Inuyasha?"

Inuyasha stared at the floor, his expression growing more pained by the second. Kagome was puzzled as to what was up with Inuyasha. _She_ was the one who had been lonely all day, why was _he_ sad?

"How about until the battle with Naraku is over, you just stay here."

Kagome gasped. What was he saying? Was he ok?

Reaching over with her right hand she felt his forehead. "Do you have a fever?"

Inuyasha grunted with frustration. He had just asked her one of the hardest questions he would ever have to have asked, and she thought he had a fever? That was just great.

"It's not like I was talking incoherently."

"Inuyasha…" The sound of Kagome's soft voice caused Inuyasha's ears to droop. He knew that tone of voice all too well. She thought he was rejecting her.

"It's ok if I'm not around. That way you can go on a hot springs trip with Miroku and Sango."

Inuyasha sighed in annoyance. "No… I'm not going to a hot spring. I just thought that as long as you're safe and alive…" Inuyasha didn't quite know how to tell her what he was feeling. He knew that he wanted to keep her safe; he wanted her to be happy and away from pain. Even though he couldn't find the words to tell her Kagome caught on.

_'I see… So really… just because of Kikyo, Inuyasha is…'_ She thought _"But I…"_

Kagome's mind flashed back to the image of Kikyo's dying form in the dirt. _**"Kagome…"**_ She said, _**"The rest is up to you."**_

No, Kagome couldn't stay here, she just couldn't. _'I made a promise to Kikyo. I'm not going to break it._'

"Thanks Inuyasha."

"Huh?" The dog eared boy responded.

"You were… Just thinking of me weren't you?"

"Yeah I guess."

"It's alright." Kagome's sweet voice rang as she leaned against Inuyasha's shoulder. "I'll always be with you."

Inuyasha's heart raced at her declaration. What had he ever done to deserve her? Kagome trusted him and wished to stay by his side even though he was an arrogant hanyou that pushed her buttons. Kagome was his angel and she had saved him in so many ways since they had first met. He did not deserve her, and yet Inuyasha could not help but feel the undeniable clench of love within his heart. If only she knew how much her words meant to him; if only she could see how much he cared for her. Inuyasha was in love with the miko, that fact had been clear in his head for several months. Suddenly he needed her to know. He needed to tell her how much she meant to him. Gently he held her hand within his own, forcing Kagome to look up into his deep stare.

"That's why…" He declared, "I'll protect you with my life."

Kagome stared up into his honey golden eyes and was frozen within their heartfelt gaze. Something that she had never seen before in his eyes, currently appeared; love and determination. The miko couldn't move under his intense stare and slowly felt some kind of invisible pressure pulling her closer to the man she loved like a magnetic force. She suddenly knew what was coming. Her heart accelerated until it was sporadic. Both of them could almost hear the other's heart beating within their chests as they inched closer.

The thought that they were alone made them both feel even a little more giddy as finally with a soft amount of pressure their lips collided in an age old rhythm. Kagome felt her cheeks heat up at the feel of Inuyasha's soft kiss. Her mind lost all control.

She had loved him for so long, wanted him for so long and finally something she had dreamed about for almost two years was coming true. Kagome gasped as the kiss deepened and Inuyasha's tongue sensuously licked her lips, asking for entrance. Immediately the miko accepted and their tongues danced together causing a couple of small moans to escape both of them. This was Kagome's first real kiss and she was finally able to understand the obsession. She could feel his kiss all the way down to her creamy bare feet. She was so lost within the kiss that Kagome was barely aware of the fact that Inuyasha had gently pushed his weight on her, slowly guiding her to the floor. The raven haired girl soon found herself, underneath Inuyasha's sinewy body; his hands roaming up her arms gently, as if he were scared that she was some kind of fragile china doll that would shatter at any moment.

His touch was so gentle, so soft that Kagome shivered every time his fingers found somewhere new to roam. She had never imagined that Inuyasha returned her feelings, but then again maybe he didn't.

Suddenly Kagome realized something. Something like this kiss had almost happened before, back before Kikyo had been resurrected for the first time. They had been sitting on top of a hill in the village, Inuyasha's favorite, when he suddenly had grabbed her hand gently and slowly started to lower his lips to hers. Of course they had only been working together for a couple of weeks when that had happened and Kagome had realized back then that the only reason he had tried to kiss her was because she looked like Kikyo. Kagome winced at the memory.

Was it possible that Inuyasha was only kissing her, because she reminded him of Kikyo? Sure they had traveled together for a longer amount of time than before, but still Kikyo had just died a couple of days ago. Was she just the rebound girl like before? Was Inuyasha just showing her this, because she was the closest thing to Kikyo he could get?

Kagome pushed on his shoulders, forcing him to stop. Inuyasha gazed down at her with half lidded eyes.

"We have to stop." She said softly and looked away. Inuyasha didn't miss the sorrowful tone of her voice that had managed to leak out.

"Did I do something wrong?" He asked slowly rising from his current position on top of the dark haired miko.

"No…" she whispered dolefully "I just…"

"You just… what?" Inuyasha asked as he tenderly held her chin; turning it so Kagome was forced to look at him.

"You don't want me." She cried closing her eyes in agony.

Inuyasha was shocked, wasn't it obvious that he wanted her. He had kissed her after all. That surely wouldn't have happened if he hadn't wanted her. Inuyasha felt hurt. He loved her! Didn't she see that?

"What the hell makes you think that, wench?"

"Kikyo just died again! You are just doing this because I look like her and because you are lonely. You only promised to protect me, because Kikyo is gone and you feel guilty about it." Tears began to form behind her chocolate brown eyes as Inuyasha stared down at her in shock. Was she serious? Is that what she really thought?

"You are such a baka!" Inuyasha yelled causing Kagome to sit up and stare at him in confusion. More pain seeped into her features. Of course she was an idiot; it was just like he had said. She was an idiot to think that he could ever care for her, not just because she looked like Kikyo, and not just because he was lonely, but because she was herself. Kagome had never felt more stupid.

"For one thing, yes Kikyo died and I miss her, yes I feel guilty about her death, and yes you look remarkably like her…"

'_I knew this was too good to be true.'_ Kagome thought as the tears finally streamed down her silky smooth cheeks.

Inuyasha pulled her hand back into his own causing Kagome to stare back in shock.

His golden orbs flashed with a serious determination and never once lost focus with her own brown haze.

"but… I love you Kagome." The miko gasped, "You are not Kikyo, nor would I want you to be. I loved Kikyo at one time, but Kagome… I love you more. You make me smile when I shouldn't even be allowed to. You make me feel so alive when I'm around you and I don't know what I would have done if you had never fallen into my life." Inuyasha tenderly cupped her cheek with a clawed hand. "I ain't exactly the best with words, but you are not Kikyo, you are Kagome; the girl I love."

Inuyasha's lips crashed down on to Kagome's flabbergasted ones. She had never felt so happy. He loved her! He truly loved her! Kagome was so ecstatic, she could fly. Inuyasha held her body up in a sitting position as he deepened the kiss. The miko's arms wrapped around his neck in an intimate embrace as their lips moved together in perfect rhythm. This felt so right to both of them. This was where they needed to be; in each others arms. Panting and in dire need of air the couple broke their kiss.

Staring into each other's eyes they smiled at each other.

"I love you too." Kagome said resulting in yet another passionate kiss from Inuyasha. The couple continued their show of affection through out the night. Neither of them felt lonely anymore. Being together seemed to be the greatest cure for their loneliness.

**Fin~**

* * *

**A/N:** I was seriously considering writing a lemon at the end, but I didn't want to get in trouble since I'm technically not old enough. Anyway tell me what you think. Thanks for reading

Please R&R

_**Love Always - Alice Carmina**_


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